


A Mantle of Light

by ValmureEld



Series: I Stan the Padlock [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Contemplation, Cuddling, F/M, Gen, Healing, Light Flirting, Massage, faith - Freeform, post episode 76
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 09:56:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20445248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValmureEld/pseuds/ValmureEld
Summary: Fjord was reborn, and none of them quite know what that means yet. It's good, though. It's all very good.Or, Jester brings Fjord that tea and they sit together for a while.





	A Mantle of Light

**Author's Note:**

> I'm such a disaster I got into this fandom WAY late and as far as honest timeline I've only listened through episode 13. I'm majorly attached to Fjord though and the recent arc with him (I've been getting spoilers through my friend and just in general) has me feeling a lot at once. I had to start writing around what his new lease on life and freedom might look like.

She finds him outside, sitting on an outcrop of stone with the sword bare across his knees. His legs are crossed under him, his hands resting on his thighs; nearly meditative. The cold wind ruffles the furs draped around his shoulders, but when she gets a little closer and can see his front she sees he is only wearing a white shirt and his trousers.

He’s barefoot, and his breath fogs into the chill air.

She smiles softly before stepping into his awareness.

“I brought you some tea.”

Fjord blinks, then looks at her, and she wonders for a moment if she’s interrupted something she shouldn’t. He doesn’t look angry though, far from it, so she kneels next to him, holding out the steaming cup.

“Caduceus made it, but I told him I’d bring it out to you. He seemed to think that was a good idea."

“Thank you,” he says, reaching out to accept the cup. She doesn’t miss his mild wince when he draws it back to his lips.

“How are you feeling?” she asks, settling next to him. She draws her knees up, arranges her skirt, and her tail curls around her boots. “Are you still sore?”

“I am sore,” he admits, looking into the steam drifting from his cup. “I’m feeling…..I don’t know, really. Different.”

She frowns lightly, trying to read him. His back is slightly curved, but he isn’t huddled. He’s just...relaxed. Deep in thoughts that he’s only glancing back from to talk to her. She doesn’t take it personally. She knows what it is to be full.

“But...you are happy?” she ventures, crossing her arms on top of her knees.

He shakes his head once, brow furrowed slightly. “It’s...different than happiness. Deeper. More...solemn. But…” he pauses, then nods to himself and finally really looks at her. “I do know that it is good. For the first time in a while, I really don’t think you need to be worried about me." A small smile reaches his eyes.

She smiles back, reaching out a hand to brush hair back from his forehead. “Oh, Fjord. I will always care about you, and sometimes care looks like worry. You know that.”

His smile softens and he bows his head, and she takes that chance to lean in and press a warm kiss to his forehead.

“You still feel very warm. Like when we pulled you out of the seaweed. Guess these furs are doing a good job, huh?”

“Seems they are,” he agrees, shifting to turn so he’s facing her a little more. He moves gingerly, and she presses her lips together for a moment.

“Do you want me to cast cure wounds? Maybe it will help.”

He shakes his head. “Save your magic, I’m alright. It’s...a good ache. The only thing I would call a wound is this,” he says wryly, peeling back the fur and his shirt from his left shoulder where Beauregard had punched him earlier. It’s a blotchy patch of greys and an off purple--the odd result of red bruising under green skin.

“Wow even with whatever the Wild Mother did to you Beau still left a mark.”

“She did,” Fjord chuckles, nodding as he pulls the fabric and furs back up to his neck. “I’m still a bit squishy, it seems.” His eyes crinkle with the joke, and Jester smiles, shuffling closer and leaning against him.

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” she says, teasing a little as she traces the strong muscles of his forearm.

He flushes a little, an off-grey tint rushing along his neck and cheeks, but he doesn’t stop her exploring. Her teasing turns to more intentional touches and he lets out a soft sigh as she gently massages along his arm.

“See, I knew I could help some way,” she says, sitting up and patting his bicep. “Here, put the furs in your lap and I can rub your back for a little while. Unless you’re getting cold?”

He shakes his head, and sets the tea aside long enough to move the furs off his back. Jester shifts to kneel behind him and rubs her hands together for a moment, warming them just a bit further before placing them against his back.

She works across his muscles like he is a painting she is crafting--running her hands along each like she is there to create it. Gingerly, she follows his anatomy the way it was meant to be, smoothing each muscle along the living grain.

He bows his head and she feels him melt in a way that fills her with a warm pride, the tension of pain bleeding out of him a little more with every breath.

“You really have gotten a little bigger,” she comments, pressing her thumb carefully into the sweep of his side, following the curve of his latissimus dorsi all the way to its anchor in his spine. Fjord’s always had a nice back, but Jester doesn’t mind admitting that she appreciates what the Wild Mother saw fit to add. “I wonder what you’ll be like in a fight now.”

“I’ll have to learn how to use this first,” he says, gesturing to the new sword. “It’s beautiful and I’m honored, but I’ve been using the falchion for so long it will take some serious training to develop a new way of handling myself.”

“Well, you and your sword can learn together, and we will help you,” Jester says confidently, pressing her palms into the small of his back and following his spine all the way up to his shoulder blades. She feels him shiver, and she doesn’t think it’s from the cold. She allows herself another private smile, and she moves her fingers up to his shoulders. He bows his head again and lets her sweep up the sides of his neck, scratching gently at the short hairs on the back of his head.

She takes her time with him, tracing his ribs, pressing between them to feel his breath as he learns to live in a body that is all his and all new all at once. She thinks about how she’ll tease him later, but for right now she’s just...happy to see the lightness that has come over him.

“I’m very glad you are okay,” she says at last, leaning against his back and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I want you to know though, that if you had needed resuscitating we were very ready to help you. Especially Nott.”

He laughs and her smile widens, and she doesn’t think too long about how that laugh makes her feel. Instead, she leans her head against his, and rests a gentle hand against his chest. She closes her eyes, feels his heart beat warm and strong beneath her fingertips, and she turns to press a blind kiss into his skin.

“Faith looks good on you, Fjord,” she whispers. “I can’t wait to see what more you become.”

His fingers settle on top of hers, and peace cloaks them both.

**Author's Note:**

> The Wild Mother (and Traveler) ship it.  
Fjord blushes and bruises grey because BlueNeutrino pointed out that red and green cancel do he should blush grey


End file.
